Sophia Plenzler Szymanowski vs. Sophia Szymanowski Plenzler

When I discovered Sophia Plenzler, a daughter of Joseph and Eva Dauer Plenzler, some confusing information kept appearing. I ran into a number of records that seemed to show she was married to her brother, Frank. As has been a theme in my family discovery, there is yet another occurrence of duplicate names.

It appears as if both Sophia and her brother Frank each married a Szymanowski. Frank married Sophia Szymanowski. Sophia Plenzler married Stephen Szymanowski. My research led me to believe that Stephen Szymanowski and Sophia Szymanowski Plenzler were siblings. I located Stephen Szymanowski’s baptismal record from St. Anthony’s parish, dated September 2, 1892. A transcription of this record is below and it reflects the same parents as Sophia Szymanowski Plenzler’s baptismal certificate (see post regarding Frank Plenzler).

The 1920 census shows Sophia and Stephen living with Mary, Robert, Frank, and Leo (all single) at 1541 Avondale and notes Stephen as a renter, with Robert as head of household. The 1930 census (page 1 and page 2) shows Stephen and Sophia living at 712 Woodstock (my grandparents were living a block away in the 800 block of Woodstock) and the family has three children:

Leonard, b. 1921, d. 1970

Bernice, b. 1924

Stephen Jr., b. 1925, d. 2010

Stephen passed away July 12, 1966 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery. His obituary was published in the Toledo Blade on July 14, 1966. His obituary is transcribed below:

A lifelong Toledo resident, Mr. Szymanowski was a receiving clerk at Kaiser Jeep Corp. more than 20 years, retiring 8 years ago. He was a member of St. Hyacinth Church, the Fourteenth Ward Old Timers Ball Players Association, Pulaski Camp Woodman of the World, and the Council of Elders, Toledo Health and Retiree Center.

Sophia passed away November 9, 1977 and was buried in Calvary Cemetery. Her obituary was published in the Toledo Blade on November 10, 1977 and is transcribed below:

Mrs. Sophia I. Szymanowski, 80, of 4845 296th St., died Wednesday in Flower Hospital, Sylvania. She worked in the maintenance and cleaning department of Gerity Schultz Corp. 23 years, retiring in 1959. She as the widow of Stephen Szymanowski. Surviving are her daughter, Mrs. Bernice Dybala, and son, Stephen. Services will be Saturday at 10 a.m. at St. Stanislaus Church. The Rosary will be recited at 7 tonight in the Sujkowski Mortuary.